Shipments were up by 10.6% from a year earlier, although they shrank by 4.2% from March`s figure of 40.43-million tonnes, the data showed. Total iron ore shipments out of the port stood at 42-million tonnes, down from March`s 46.7-million tonnes, which is the third highest on record.

Port Hedland is used by three of Australia`s top four iron ore miners: BHP Group, Fortescue Metals Group and Gina Rinehart`s Roy Hill.